Convention season may be ending for now, but if you’re looking for cons to look forward to next year, here are the six anime conventions that you should attend before you eventually get old. Big or small, each con has something unique to offer that makes the experience there awesome.
1. Otakon
Baltimore, Maryland (soon to be Washington D.C.)
Otakon is the largest convention on the east coast and the second largest in the country. Usually taking place either during the last weekend of July or the second weekend of August, Otakon is a great summer con to attend to finish out your summer before school starts. In addition to a large dealer’s room with nice variety, Otakon has a good blend of both Japanese and American guests from the industry, such as Romi Park (the Japanese voice actor for Edward Elric) and Stephanie Sheh (the English voice actor for Nui Harime and the new English voice of Sailor Moon).
2. Katsucon
National Harbor, Maryland
Katsucon is often held during Valentine’s Day weekend, so this is the perfect con to take your sweetheart (assuming that they too are anime fans/gamers/cosplayers)! This con is also perfect for cosplayers because you can get the nicest pictures at the Gaylord, with backdrops including the famous Katsucon gazebo. Just find a photographer, pick a spot, and start posing! Katsucon is slightly cheaper than Otakon (at least for most people), and with the con being held in the winter, there’s no sweating through your cosplays (in fact, you may even want to dress warm). So make a date to go to Katsucon!
3. Anime Expo
Los Angeles, California
With an attendance of over 90,000 (as of 2015), Anime Expo is easily the largest convention in the country, so it should be on every con-goer’s convention bucket list. With such a large amount of people attending the con, Anime Expo is known for having a strong cosplay game. With the con located in a large city, there are plenty of hotels nearby (because who doesn’t want to go to L.A.?) just pick one that fits into your budget. A common staple at some other cons, Anime Expo also has interactive Maid and Butler Cafes that are popular every year.
4. Anime Boston
Boston, Massachusetts
With 26,000 attendees, Anime Boston is solidly ranked within the top ten largest conventions in North America, coming in at number six. Often held either late March or the beginning of April, you can only hope that the con falls during your school’s spring break, but the reason Anime Boston is worth going to is because they have awesome cosplay game shows! The Dating Game, Cosplay Chess, and the Deathmatch are all epic events that draw in huge crowds every year. While each of these game shows is featured at least at a few other cons, Anime Boston does them the best.
5. ColossalCon
Sandusky, Ohio
Tucked away at the top edge of the Buckeye State, ColossalCon is a great Midwestern con suited for those who may be too far away from the big cons on the east or west coast. Usually set either the first or second weekend of June, it’s four days at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center. It may be smaller than the other cons on this list, but with that the lines are shorter and the community is much closer. Not to mention, ColossalCon shares its space with America’s largest indoor water park, so you can make a full vacation out of it!
6. A-Kon
Dallas, Texas
This last con is the longest running anime convention in North America – A-Kon was first held in 1990, back when it was known as Project A-Kon and had less than four hundred attendees. Today A-Kon is ranked number five of the top ten largest conventions (as of 2014), and had almost 30,000 attendees in 2015 when the con celebrated its 25th anniversary. A-Kon is another convention with a lot of good cosplay, because there the cosplay contests and Masquerade events are always huge, making this con well-suited for serious, competitive cosplayers who want to try their luck on a grander stage.
***BONUS***
AnimeNEXT
Somerset, New Jersey ---> Atlantic City, New Jersey
Here’s to my hometown con! AnimeNEXT was held at the Garden State Expo Center from 2009 until 2015, but continued growing every year until it no longer fit. Starting in 2016 the con will be moving to the Atlantic City Convention Center, staying there for the next five years while the attendance count continues to climb. With the new location the con will be close to the beach and surrounded by casinos, and it’s going to be absolutely amazing. AnimeNEXT was already fun in Somerset (hence why it got bigger), but it’ll be even better once the con hits Atlantic City.
Whether you’re looking for guests or looking forward to the game shows, whether you’re looking to take pictures or take a dip in the pool, each of these cons have something for you to enjoy throughout the weekend. Which convention is your favorite to attend? Sound off in the comments!
